Would-be MP slams station ticket barrier plan

Andy Chase, who will stand for the Green Party in York at the next General Election, said the proposals would ruin a famous “cathedral of railways”.

He said: “York station is to rail travel what York Minster is to the Church of England.

“This famous listed building is so iconic that national press articles on rail will often feature a reporter next to the famous footbridge clock.

“Yet if National Express East Coast (NXEC) has its way, this cathedral of railways will soon cease forever to be a public space.”

As previously reported in The Press, NXEC wants to put automatic ticket barriers, which passengers must put their ticket into to be allowed on to the platforms. The firm says the move will help tackle fare-dodging and improve passenger security.

But Mr Chase said passengers would be hindered if the proposals got the go-ahead.

“One has to wonder whether anyone who came up with the idea of ticket barriers has ever actually boarded a train at York,” he said.

“At present, to get from the cycle racks or car park to the ticket office, it’s necessary to walk along the platform.

“Will people now have to walk back out onto the road, using the car park entrance where there is no footpath, and in the front entrance? Or do they propose to stick a six-foot fence down the middle of Platform 3?

He said such barriers elsewhere had caused disruption, with many types of ticket not being recognised by the machines.

He said the way to combat fare-dodging was for train operators to employ more staff on trains, and said the idea that barriers would improve security was “laughable”, as the July 7 bombers had boarded a train at a gated station.

NXEC spokesman John Gelson said the firm understood Mr Chase’s concerns, and was reviewing pedestrian access between the cycle and long stay car parking areas next to platforms 1 and 3, and the outer concourse and travel centre areas.

He said barriers, or “gating schemes” were welcomed by Passenger Focus and most passengers, as well as the Government. He said NXEC was committed to the gates and said they had been successful elsewhere.

He said: “Ticket gates are part of our continuing efforts to prevent fraudulent travel and protect revenue, which can be invested back into maintaining and improving the station. Both ourselves and other train operators will continue to check tickets as we do now on board trains as well as at the ticket gates.”